The early 80s "David Foster Synth Bass" sound? Ideas on how to get that?

[FunkyKeys]

Hi there.

On a lot of David Foster produced stuff from the first half of the 80s, you can hear that signature warm, soft (yet kind of punchy) synth bass sound. Rather often on ballads, which is quiet an unusual place for synth bass you might think, but it works extremely well and is, to me, a great part of that Chicago-style (the band, not the city) sound.

The sound I'm talking about is very prominent on Chicago's "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" off the "16" album in 1982 - especially from the 2nd verse (around 1.30 into the song), and also on "You're The Inspiration" of the 1984 "17" album (again, mostly in the 2nd verse, from 1.27).

I'm guessing it was originally played on a MiniMoog, and if anybody has some nice basic setting for the MiniMoog (or, in fact, any kind of analog or "analog-style" 3-osc synth), it would be great if you could share it here. I've tried getting it on MiniMoog and also on the Little Phatty (though that one only has 2 oscillators), but I always end up getting to much "hitech sounding" attack or too muddy.

Thanks, and nice meeting you all by the way, this is my first post.

[vixapphire]

that chicago 17 stuff used lots of dx7. jupiters get something very similar and were used for those kinds of bass sounds back then, too.

[Carey M]

Hard To Say I'm Sorry is definitely a Moog, I'd guess a Model D MiniMoog.

- CM

[waveterm]

Minimoog.

No doubt.

WT

[chrisso]

Mini

[FunkyKeys]

Thanks for the answers! MiniMoog it is then!

Any idea on the settings? 2 oscs in lower octave, 1 in higher? Lots of detune? (It sounds very "wide" somehow, but not in a detuned way... hmm...). Sawtooths?

[Heathfinnie]

keep in mind one important thing, just because you have the same synth doesn't mean you can get the same sound. No telling what they use with it (compression, effects, etc.)

Keeping this in mind you can sometimes use a different synth with similar outboard gear and come close...

[soultrane]

haha or, if u can't spring for a moog, there's a "david foster" preset on the se-1.

(i didn't find it all that foster-ish, though)

[vixapphire]

Originally Posted by soultrane

haha or, if u can't spring for a moog, there's a "david foster" preset on the se-1.

(i didn't find it all that foster-ish, though)

that's funny

[soultrane]

Originally Posted by FunkyKeys

Thanks for the answers! MiniMoog it is then!

Any idea on the settings? 2 oscs in lower octave, 1 in higher? Lots of detune? (It sounds very "wide" somehow, but not in a detuned way... hmm...). Sawtooths?

might not be just the synth that's making the sound... probably some delicious and tasty eq'ing, maybe some chorus fx, etc...

i'm sure it was high end processing all the way with those records.

[Lownotes]

Two words:

Humberto Gatica

[Lownotes]

Originally Posted by Lownotes

Two words:

Humberto Gatica

One more word:

GRAMMY!

[FunkyKeys]

:D Thanks everyone... Look, I know Humberto is great, the EQs were great etc. Of course there is more to the sound than just the synth. But I was interested in this sound from a analog/subtractive synthesis point of view. Still, the actual instrument and its settings must be a rather big part of the result, right?

[analogbass]

Very basic, simple sound that wouldn't be hard to get on any number of new or old moogs. Other brands especially vintage or new/old modulars could also get something similar.